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Bill gives 10 Colorado counties 2 years to decide on trustee hires

The 10 Colorado counties in which the governor appoints the public trustee — the only nonstate jobs he controls outright — would have two years to decide if they'd rather do the hiring themselves, under a bill discussed Wednesday.

In what has been a two-year game of political badminton, the latest efforts to wrest control of the power to fill those 10 jobs from the governor bumped into an unexpected delay when one legislator realized he could be voting on a raise for his wife.

Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker, is married to Douglas County Treasurer Diane Holbert, who could earn a $12,500 raise if HB-1049 were approved.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, aims to have at least three of the 10 public trustee jobs — in Mesa, El Paso and Weld counties — filled by that county's elected treasurer.

Hearings on the bill were held Wednesday before the House local government committee. Although Douglas County is not on the short list, an amendment allows the other seven to decide whether they want in on choosing who gets the job or, as has been the case the last 119 years, leave it to the governor to decide.

Much of the discussion has revolved around cost savings and budget controls, with only a smattering of detail about the guts of the real issue — who gets to pick who has the job.

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"Any governor in his right mind would be a fool not to want to keep these political patronage appointments," testified Ron Teck, El Paso County's intergovernmental affairs officer and a former state senator from Mesa County.

The hearing before seven Democrats and six Republicans hit a snag when Holbert saw the possible conflict of interest.

In the confusion — including a locked-door meeting that four legislators had over the matter — committee chairwoman Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, laid over any vote until Holbert's problem is worked out.

A similar measure in the Senate died in committee last week along party lines, with Democrats determining the outcome.

Trustees are the impartial administrators of a county's foreclosure system. Elected treasurers in 52 of Colorado's 64 counties serve in that capacity and are paid $12,500 on top of their treasurer salary.

Two others — Denver and Broomfield — are determined differently. Denver's is its elected clerk and recorder, and Broomfield is its county-appointed revenue manager.

But the 10 trustees appointed by the governor are purely patronage, and although the job has some requirements, the governor's choice is his alone. Those appointees — in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, El Paso, Mesa, Weld, Larimer, Pueblo and Jefferson counties — are paid $72,500 and serve at the governor's pleasure.

Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, last year requested the resignation of his appointees following Denver Post stories detailing how some personally benefited or profited from their position. Five were eventually reappointed.